Crossroads
by Scarred Secrets
Summary: She always knew they were dangerous, that's why she stopped going to the Boardwalk. But now she may have no choice getting involved with them. Their secret is dark and terrifying. But what is coming is much worse then they could ever be. It's an AU, but everyone's favorite characters will be in it. NO STAR BASHING, cause I love Star. :3
1. Boardwalk Blackmail

**A.N. **Time for a Lost Boys chapter ficlet! I can't even finish any of my other stories, but I seem to be on a roll, what with a one-shot and this in less than two days. So I'm hoping this means my writers block is getting unblocked. Reviews definitely inspire. I hate when people favorite you and stuff, then don't even leave something telling me what they liked about it.

Short first chapter, but I felt the need to leave it were I left it off. Will continue if you guys like it.

_Disclaimer: _I own nothing. Nada. Ziltch. Except for any original characters that find their way into this story! :3

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**Chapter 1 - Boardwalk Blackmail**

Those cold blue eyes. They held a lot of promises in them. Dark promises. Pain and death were at the top of the list. He made my blood run cold every time I saw him. They way he always seemed to know I was there, how he made it a point to catch my eyes with his own. I stopped spending time at the Boardwalk just so I could avoid running in to him altogether. I think his name is David...I've heard his friends call out to him in the past. They were pretty scary too, now that I think about it. They all had these eyes that just weren't right. Like they could see right into you. I felt violated every time one of them looked at me.

My own friends call me crazy. They're as seduced by their utter hotness as I once was. And maybe I was just looking at things all in the wrong way, but David didn't give me a good vibe and I wasn't about to test him. Which brings us to the here and now. Tammy, my oldest and closest friend turned 18 today. She wanted to go to the Boardwalk and party it up all night. Telling her I wasn't feeling well had crossed my mind, and I'd almost gone with it, but the guilt of lying to her would have haunted me for the next decade, so I had no choice but to go along.

"What is _up_ with you Lenina? It's like you _don't_ want to spend time with me." Tammy's small voice has me looking up at her from the backseat of her mothers old, rundown piece of shit. I'm wedged between two of our other friends, Kristen and Cameron. I usually get shotgun when we go out together, but Tammy's cousin Mara had booted me to the back. No big deal, really.

"Come on Tams, you know it's not that. I just don't like the kind of people that have been around the Boardwalk lately. It just doesn't feel safe anymore."

"This isn't about those guys again is it?" Cameron questions before Tammy can say a word.

"No." I try my hardest to sound like I mean it, but they know me to well. I let out a sigh of defeat, and slump further into my seat. "Okay, so maybe a little bit of it is, but seriously guys. They creep me the fuck out, what can I say?"

I can almost hear Tammy rolling her eyes. "Jesus 'Nina, they are harmless. What is your issue with them?"

"They _aren't_ harmless Tammy. They are dangerous, I can feel it whenever one of them looks at me. I don't want to fight about this again. Neither of us actually knows them - and we should definitely keep it that way - so lets just drop it, okay? It's your birthday, lets have a good time and then go home."

"What the hell are you guys even talking about?" Mara questions, her large green eyes questioning as she turns in her seat to look back at the rest of us, occasionally glancing at her cousin next to her.

"Just drop it." I mutter hotly, arms crossing over my chest. Mara was from Sacramento, she came down every once and a while to spend time with Tammy and the rest of us, she was pretty cool peoples, but she'd never had an encounter with the local bad asses. And if I had any control in the matter, she never would. My number one goal tonight, besides having a good time, was to keep all of us away from any sort of trouble.

The rest of the ride was spent in silence, a pretty uncomfortable one at that. But as soon as we hit the Boardwalk, it was all smiles and laughter from all of us. I was dancing with Tammy when I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and my movements came to a halt. Tammy faltered a bit, but immediately took up dancing with Kristen as I weaved my way through the crowd. I need a break, and something to drink. I was just being paranoid. At least that was what I was trying to convince myself of.

"How much?" I tilt my head, my brown eyes looking at the young man behind the food-cart. I'd only got a soda and some french fries.

"$5." I smile and hand him the bill, shoving a couple ones into the clear tip cup resting on the counter.

"Thanks man." Finding an open table to sit at was going to be impossible, so I found a seat on a bench in a spot I could still see my friends from. If we got separated, it could take a while to find each other.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here, boys?"

I stop chewing my fry mid-chew, a sickening feeling gurgling in the pit of my stomach. Or was that just my body yelling at me for not swallowing the damn fry? "Looks to me like she's finally come back to see you, David."

The second voice is disgustingly close to my ear and it takes a lot not to launch off the bench and just run with everything I have. I shouldn't be so afraid. I'm sitting in the middle of a crowd, there is people everywhere. Yeah, people can be assholes, but I really don't think they'll just keep walking by if these guys decide to rape and kill me right here. I swallow slowly, my eyes connecting with ice. "See him?" I snap incredulously. "I don't even know you people, so why don't you go bother someone else?"

The tall, wily one plops right down next to me, flinging an arm around my shoulders. He'd been the one talking in my ear. Out of all of them, he scared me the less. His blue eyes were softer, and playful, but still creepy. The littlest scared me almost as much as the tall dark one did. But David completely terrified me. I shove him off of me, scooting as far away from him as I can. "Don't touch me. I said leave me alone."

"You said go bother someone else."

"Which means: Leave. Me. Alone."

"What if we don't want to?" David's sinister smirk makes me want to vomit. I feel trapped. He's in front of me. Wily is next to me, and it seems like the other two are standing just so to keep me from leaving. "What's your name?"

"Not any of your business." I make a move to get up, but Wily reaches out to stop me. He's wearing a smile that deceives the predatory look that now glitters in his laughing eyes.

"You can either tell us, or I'll just get it from one of them." David turns his icy eyes on the heavy crowd in the distance, but I know he's looking right at Tammy.

"Lenina. My name is Lenina." my voice is bitter, angry, and quick. He knows I will do anything to keep them away from my friends. What the hell was wrong with these guys? "Now can you just leave me alone?"

"Aww, 'Nina!" Wily sing-songs, "But we haven't even told you our names yet."

My jaw is clenched. The fries I'd bought are now lying on the ground and if I squeeze my cup any tighter soda will be everywhere. "Paul I think you're freaking her out." the little one is wearing a devilish smirk on his face as he speaks. He isn't coming to my defense, he's making fun of me.

"Look, I really don't know what I've done to you guys, but please, I've really got to go." I stand up, Paul doesn't reach for me this time, but I'm face to face with David now. He doesn't move an inch, his face split by the evilest smile I've ever seen. I feel like I'm being encased in ice.

"Come back tomorrow night. I want to show you something." Is he really so dense to think I'd be coming back? Like...ever again? "Or I'm sure Tammy would happily agree to join us..."

This son of a bitch. "Same spot?"

"Same spot, girly." the dark haired one finally speaks. When I catch his dark eyes with mine I feel naked and I want to slap him for leering so disgustingly at me. I would have too, if I wasn't still stuck between the bench and David.

"Dwayne, Marko." David's walking away in the very instant he speaks. The dark one, Dwayne, gave me a nasty grin before walking away with his friends.

"Don't be late, chicka." Paul boasts as he jumps up from the bench, stopping right next to me to smile broadly. "As soon as the sunsets, be here." with that he tosses a crumpled bill at me. I don't catch it and it bounces off of me to hit the floor. "Sorry about your frenchies."

I want to scream, cry, and crawl under a rock all in the same moment. This wasn't happening. What the hell did they want from me? Would they really go after Tammy or my other friends? Something told me they would. I had to comply with David's demands. I'd have to come back to the Boardwalk tomorrow night and find out what they wanted.

Reaching down I pick up the crumpled five dollar bill and shove it in my coat pocket without even looking at it. I turn my eyes back to the crowd to try and locate my friends. I wanted to go home. I didn't care anymore that it was Tammy's birthday, if they didn't want to take me, I'd walk.

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	2. Vampire Apocalypse

**A.N.** Wow! Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews! It really encouraged me to pump out this next chapter! I am still in the middle of planning out how I want things to go, so forgive me if I am a little slow in getting to the major plot points. I hope you guys like this next installment! On with chapter two!

_Disclaimer:_ I own nothing.

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**Chapter Two: Vampire Apocalypse**

The look on my face would ward Satan away from me. I didn't get a wink of sleep the night before. I kept seeing their eyes, their terrifying smirks, and I kept hearing his voice. But what really got me is the face and the voice of a girl. She was unfamiliar to me, I'd never seen her before in my life. But when she'd spoken to me it had felt like I'd known her my entire life. She'd told me not to be afraid of David, that he couldn't hurt me. That hadn't done a damn thing to relax me. If anything it made me more apprehensive and scared. My imagination was a mess.

"Lenina!" I stop mid-stride. It was only three o'clock. The sun didn't set until almost eight, so I had more then enough time to myself.

When I turn around, I catch sight of my mom standing out on our porch. Her arms are crossed over her chest and she looks annoyed. "What's the problem, ma?" I call back to her. I'm already halfway down the pathway leading to the sidewalk.

"When do you plan on being back here tonight?"

"I don't know. I'm supposed to be going to the Boardwalk with the girls tonight. I already told dad..."

"Unless your father said he'll be cleaning that pigsty you call a room, then I suggest you get your ass back in here and clean it."

"Come on mom," I'm whining now. It's not something I'm proud of, but what 17 year old DOESN'T whine when their mom's tell them to clean their room? It wasn't like it was THAT bad or anything. "I'll clean it when I get back..."

"No, Lenina. You'll clean it now."

I've lost the argument before it's even begun, and I'm sulking back into the house. She watches me the whole time, still standing on the porch. I refuse to look at her as I stomp my way up to my room, making sure to make as much noise as possible. I can't wait till I turn 18, then mom can't tell me how to keep my personal space. My brown eyes are ablaze the whole time I shove piles of clothing into my closet and kick magazines and whatever else was left laying on the floor, under my bed.

I sound like a slob, and I'll admit it, I kinda am. But I don't leave disgusting things lying around. The clothes pile in my closet is all clean clothes and there isn't anything under my bed made of food product. I'm just an untidy person not an unclean person. When I finish I stand by my door to observe my handiwork, I'd successfully hidden the mess from my mothers view. Unless she decided to open my closet door for some reason, she'd have no idea that I cheated.

"Is it clean? You weren't up there for very long..." my mothers pretty green eyes are watching me from the kitchen archway as I descend the stairs. Her voice has lost the harshness it had earlier, and she almost has a smile on her face.

"Yes ma, it's clean." I reply, still sore that she'd made me do it in the first place. But I offer her a smile anyway. My mom was a good mom, I loved her and I suppose she was just doing her job, but it was my job as a teenager to protest against everything she or my father says.

"Alright 'Nina, you can go be with your friends now. School starts in a few more weeks, so you _should_ try getting yourself ready to adjust to the new schedule..."

My smile is gone and I'm rolling my eyes. "Yep. See you later, mom." I'm out the door before she can say a thing else to me. She just _had_ to remind me that I would be going back to school this fall. It would be my final year, but that didn't make me excited about going back. Pushing the thought of school to the back of my mind, I started down the sidewalk. Originally I had been planning on stopping by Tammy's house, but I remembered that we didn't part on the best of terms the night before. I wanted to apologize, but I was just trying to keep her safe. I had a really bad feeling about those guys.

A frown on my face, I found myself threading through the already crowded carnival grounds. The Boardwalk was just as chaotic during the daytime hours as it was during the nighttime, only the craziness of it all was really brought to light without the cover of darkness. The missing persons posters had a way of making your heart feel heavy, but after a while you stop noticing. I've lived in Santa Carla all of my life, this is what I consider _normal_, even though I know it's really not.

"Watch it!" I stumble slightly when a heavy shoulder crashes into me, the mohawked man sneering at me with his ugly yellow teeth.

"Screw you! Pay some fucking attention to what you're doing and you wouldn't be barreling over little girls!" my brown eyes are narrowed as I snap back at him, but he's already vanished into the sea of people.

"You need to watch who you talk to like that kid. Some shady folks around these parts."

I catch a pair of soft blue eyes with my own. They belong to an old man, who seemed to be the vendor for the peicering pagoda that I was standing near. "Yeah, I know. I'm from here."

He's smiling at me. A smile that is very sincere. "I'm just sayin'." he laughs then. "You've got a good judge of character. Use it to your advantage and you'll be just fine."

I'm certain I look very confused. Whatever it was he was talking about, I hadn't a clue. Old man was probably tripping on Mushrooms or something. "Yeah, whatever man."

His smile remains. "It's a rare gift, kid. Don't take it lightly." with that his attention is turned to a costumer, a tall blonde chick who babbles about wanting hoop earrings.

I shake my head resuming my walk. I wasn't sure what to do, and it took a while to decide, but when I did, I ended up spending my last five dollars on a rollercoaster ticket, a soda, and a candy apple. The Boardwalk wasn't much fun when you were by yourself, but I really needed to kill the time, and keep my mind _off_ the inevitable meeting that was fast approaching. Which is what brought me to the comic store. Edgar and Alan Frog pretty much manned the storefront while their parents slept all day. I'd known them most of my life, Edgar was two grades below me, while Alan was three.

They were a couple of dorks, but they were a very entertaining duo. "Hey Al." the younger Frog looks up at the sound of my voice, I offer a smile that he kindasorta returns. We weren't exactly friends but when you live in a place like Santa Carla, you tend not to object to the company of other locals. I hoist myself up on the counter, making myself pretty comfortable. "What's up?"

"Are you blind, Lenina?" I laugh at his sarcastic question. He is only teasing. "Same shit, different day." he offers with a shrug, sifting through a pile of comics that he drops next to me. Edgar and Alan have pretty much been the sole caretakers of this damn shop since they were like ten. They didn't do to bad of a job all things considered. Their parents were a little more then just stoners and were practically useless as parents, and as human beings if you asked me. "What're you doing here?"

"Bored." I reply, taking a comic from atop his pile and flipping the pages open. I don't read it, just look at the pictures, and quickly toss it back. "I dunno how anyone reads this shit."

"What're you calling shit?" I look up as Edgar approaches, a genuinely offended look on his face as he snatches up the comic I'd had. He observes for a moment before carelessly flinging it back, just as I had. "Yeah, your right, that was shit. But," he pauses before pulling a random Superman from the shelf behind him and presenting it to me, "_This_ is pure gold."

I look at him with doubt in my eyes. "He's right. That's a great comic right there." Alan nods in agreement. "Wanna buy it?"  
I roll my eyes, shaking my head. "No, I'll pass. Sorry. 'Sides, I've got no money."

It's Edgar's turn to roll his eyes. "Then what is the point of you being here if you aren't gonna buy nothing?"

"To bother you two."

"I'm honored we mean so much to you, 'Nina." Alan is grinning now, taking the comic book from Edgar and replacing it on the shelf.  
I've got a smile on my face now as I watch Edgar walk away to retrieve something from behind the counter. Another comic book that he presents to me. "Look Edgar, I'm serious. I don't read comics."

"You don't gotta read it, 'Nina. Just skim the shit, it'll keep ya safe once the sun sets."

I raise a curious brow at this, reaching out and grasping the thin paged booklet. It reads **'Vampire Apocolypse'**. I look at him like he's grown three heads. "Seriously Edgar?" I turn to Alan who looks just as serious as his brother. "Come on you two, you've gotta be kidding me. Even for you this is a little out there, don'tcha think?" I wave the book at them, brushing strands of my redhair behind my ear with my other hand. Something inside me tells me to take them seriously. That is easier said then done if I am to be perfectly honest.

"Just keep it Lenina." the tone in Alan's voice bothers me, so instead of going on a about it, I put the book in my bag and ended the conversation about 'vampires'.

"You guys need any help?" I offer, hopping off the counter. I don't even wait for an answer before I start helping Alan sort through the comics. It wasn't the first time I'd helped them with this, and I doubt it'll be the last.

I spent the rest of the day with the Frog's, restocking shelves and tossing out unsellables. It was a pretty easy task, just time consuming, so by the time I was getting ready to leave the sky was tinted orange and purple. I pictured my destination in my head: a lonely bench overlooking the stage, four terrifying shadows hovering over it.

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**Review if you want more! Heehee. :]**


	3. Of Motorcycles and Gypsies

**A.N.** Here is chapter three! I am glad everyone is enjoying this so much! The feedback is wicked and I am so happy my character is to all of your likings! This chapter brings David back into the mix and introduces Star into the plot! I really wish I had the time to reply to each and every one of you personally, but much of my time is spent with my thee year old. It's a miracle I get the time to write. He keeps me on my toes though, heehee.

_Disclaimer:_ I own nothing.

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**Chapter Three: Of Motorcycles and Gypsies**

"Punctual. What a good quality that is." His voice freezes my blood and throws my heart into overdrive.

I raise my eyes to see him approaching me, his three cronies nowhere to be found. Now I was really worried. I want to get up and run away when he flops into the bench next to me, his arm carelessly swinging around my shoulders. "I thought you needed to show me something." my voice shakes and wavers. I hate that my fear of him is so obvious.

His smirk tells me he enjoys my fear. "I do. But I'm gonna have to take you for a ride."

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

He laughs, a cold and cruel laugh. "You don't got much of a choice, red."

My nose crinkles in distaste at the awful name he calls me. I don't feel the need to continue into an argument, I know I wouldn't win. I really had no choice but to let him take me off, probably into a horrible agonizing death. "Where are we going?"

Another laugh made of pure frost. "You'll see." he gets up from the bench in that moment, he catches my brown eyes with his own terrifying ice blue ones, that horrible smirk still curling his lips. "Lets go."

I hesitate before I finally rise to my feet, slowly trailing after him. The way he walks is like that of a predator, a lion that knows he's king. I have the sickening feeling that I am just the lamb being led to the slaughter, though something inside tells me not to worry. I feel calmer, but meeting David's eyes again makes me shiver as I watch him settle onto an impressive motorcycle. I am apprehensive, but take his offered hand. He helps me mount the bike. I was not looking forward to this ride.

"Gonna have to grip me tighter then that, red." laughter glimmers in his eyes as he looks back at me.

I already feel like I have to vomit. That urge intensifies the minute the machine roars to life and air hits my face. My arms grasp him in a vice and I hide my face so I don't have to look, because I am thoroughly scared for my life, but for a different reason now. David hoots and hollers, probably to torment me even more. Laughter shakes his chest as the bumpy ride suddenly smooths out.

I dare open my eyes to find we are on a road, a large house in the distance. It was a beautiful house, I already knew. I'd seen it many times growing up. It sat right on a cliff, over looking the ocean. It was a magnificent view. "Don't let me go." his voice is dangerous and startles me, my arms tightening about his torso once more. I hadn't even realized I'd loosened my grip. My eyes remain open the remainder of the ride.

I immediately notice the three bikes he pulls in next to, my heart returning to a state of slight panic. "Can you just get it over with and tell me what you're planning on doing to me?" my voice trembles as I remain on the bike, even after he climbs off. "Cause this is a little strange."

His smirk appears to be permanently stuck to his face. "Think you're gonna be the next missing persons poster hanging up downtown?"

"I think it's a possibility." I try to sound brave, but fail quite miserably. "I get that you like seeing me scared, but uh, can we get this over with?"

"Why do you need to scare her like that, David?" My eyes snap in the direction of the female voice, my brown meeting the speakers own brown eyes. She has wild dark brown curls and a pretty face. I remember her from my dreams. I don't know why, but I feel like I can trust her. "You're Lenina, right?"

"Yeah, that's her." David beats me to the punch. "Did you think I was gonna bring back the wrong broad, Star?" his blue eyes seem to stare holes through the girl. I can tell she is wary of him, but holds a certain amount of trust in him.

"No." she replies with slight annoyance. "Of course not David. But I did ask that you didn't petrify her either."

"She doesn't look petrified to me." he snorts, sending the girl a death promising glare. She only half believes it, I can tell. But when his eyes turn on me, that smirk is back curling his lips. He knows damn well I am terrified of him, and he loves every minute of it.

"I am sorry about David, Lenina. He has a hard time _controlling_ himself sometimes." she sends him a pointed glare of her own. I see her flinch slightly at the look he returns it with. What was the deal with these two? "I am glad you came." she continues, taking a few steps towards me, her pretty skirt flowing with her movements. "I don't want to frighten you, but it's important that you know what I am about to tell you."

"Get on with it, Star."

She shoots David another one of those look, and I just look on. I am getting more confused with every minute that passes. "You are special and you posses a very unique gift." she offers a weak smile as she continues. "I don't know if you've noticed this about yourself, but...you just know when someone is deceiving you, correct? You can just kind of tell when someones a good person, right?"

Her words strike a cord in me. I'm highly weirded out and confused, but what she says makes me think about all of the times I knew I was being lied to, and all of the times I could pick any person out of a crowd and determine whether they were good company or bad company. There was nothing weird about that, though. I just had a naturally good judge of character. Like that old man had said. "Uh, how do you know about that?"

"I can see things." Star replies, a sincerity in her eyes that scares me. She must be nuts. Just like David. And those other boys.

"Okay. Look...I don't know what all of this about, I'm guessing I don't want to know either, and I'd really just like to go home now."

Star shakes her head. "I know how this sounds, believe me, I was freaked out too when I realized what I could do. But you are in danger, Lenina. There's some really scary stuff out there, I just want to protect you." she reaches into the pocket of the coat she wears, pulling out a silver chain with a dangling red jewel. "I want you to take this, it'll keep you safe for a while."

I'm sure the utter skepticism is written all over my face, but despite this I still take the necklace from her, looking at it in disbelief. What the hell would a necklace protect me from? "Right. Whatever you say." I'm starting to think there was something in the water supply making people crazy.

"It's okay. I wouldn't exactly believe this either if I were you. But I know you know you can trust me..." Star offers a smile, I see sadness in her brown eyes. "We aren't going to hurt you, right David?"

"Yeah, right." his cold eyes tell another story. One that I don't much like. "Are we done here? There is other shit I'd rather be doing."

"I suppose." is her weak reply, she seems hurt by his callous treatment of her. "Lenina one of the others will take you home if you'd like..."

"Well, I can't exactly walk from here. I live like an hours hike away from here..." I was being honest, and I really didn't want to walk from this place. I was scared enough by everything else that was going on, I'd be a wreck by the time I got home.

"Okay. David? Who can you spare?"

I'm hoping with everything inside me I don't get stuck with Dwayne. "Pauly will do it." is all David says, his icy eyes locked on Star in a stare that frightens even me. He's walking away in the next moment, disappearing through the front doors of the massive house. Not a minute later Paul is trouncing out of the house, a face splitting grin on his face.

"Looks like it's just gonna be me and you." his eyes are ocean colored, expressive, yet very calculating. He turns his attention to Star momentarily, face setting tightly, "Check ya later, chicka." he waves to her, leading me to his bike.

"Be careful Lenina, okay?"

"Mmkay." is all I give her back, an empty feeling filling my gut. I had a nagging feeling that sleep was going to evade me for yet another night. I don't think this encounter could have been more bizarre if there had been a three headed donkey running around.

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**Review!** I must know how I am doing if I am to continue!


	4. Vampires?

**A.N.** This chapter is more filler then anything else, though it does give you a good look at what kind of person Lenina is, and more or less gives you insight on her relationship with the Frog brothers. I need a beta, like bad. Offers would be awesome!

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own The Lost Boys, sadly. :[

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**Chapter 4: Vampires? **

I hadn't been wrong in my prediction of sleeplessness. The one named Paul had brought me home as promised, without incident. He'd been very unlike David, and I'd been very grateful of this. Though my mind was a haze of confusion, and riddled with flecks of fear, I found myself unafraid of Paul. "I promise not to bite ya, girly." he'd laughed when we'd arrived at my house. I'd scrambled to get off the bike and struggled not to just race into the safety of my house.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." I'd hurriedly spat out, a little harsher then I'd intended. "Thanks for the ride man, but whatever it is you people are into, I don't want any part of it."

He'd given me a smile that while seemingly genuine, still managed to creep the hell out of me. "Sometimes you just don't got a choice, 'Nina." he'd revved the engine of his bike after that, saluting me as he happily cackled. "Check ya later!" And he'd sped off.

Now I'm just laying in the comfort of my bed, completely unable to sleep. I groan, twisting onto my side, my brown eyes peering at the floating neon numbers that sat on my nightstand. The clock read 3:45 and I seemed no closer to getting to sleep then I had been three hours earlier. Slowly I drag my gaze to the shadowed shape of the necklace sitting by the clock. I'm reaching over and clicking my table lamp on before I even realize it. When my fingers wrap around the old gold chain I bring it up so that the small oval-shaped ruby hangs just in my line of sight.

Nothing at all seems special about the piece of jewelry, aside it being kind of plain and boring. Star's voice echoes in my head. _I want you to take this, it'll keep you safe for a while._ I wasn't even sure what that meant. She'd basically told me I was in danger, but from who? And how was a _necklace_ supposed to protect me? I shake my head, dropping the chain back down to the wooden surface. Why am I even thinking about it? Obviously they were just a bunch of nut jobs. It would explain why they'd always given me such a bad vibe.

Somehow, I really think agreeing to meet David was a really bad idea. A heavy feeling seemed to fall over me, as I found myself flipping through the pages of the comic book Edgar and Alan had insisted I take. Vampires. How ridiculous can those two boys get? I read about a band of vampire hunters that are humanity's only hope for survival for about twenty minutes before my mind seems to die on me.

The Frogs are just as crazy as David and his biker gang and his weird girlfriend. Though I cannot shake the realization that I feel compelled to believe Star, and that the sincerity that had hung around the Frog brothers like a thick smog made me want to believe them too, I finally managed to fall asleep. But it had been no easy sleep.

I dreamed of blood, I dreamed of eyes made of ice, I dreamed of Paul's laughter, and Marko's malicious smile. Alertness could not come soon enough, and when it did I'd awoken with a loud gasp as I struggled for air. My hair was matted against my skin from a cold sweat, I felt my chest rise and fall rapidly. The warm shine of the sun touched my skin when I pulled open the blinds in my windows. The light greatly relieved something inside of me, and I felt a calmness once again settle over me.

A heavy knocking brought my eyes to my door, watching as my mother walked through the door before I could even answer the knock. "Good morning Lenina! I'm so glad you're up, breakfast is ready."

My stomach instantly grumbled at her words, "Okay, thanks mom. I'm gonna shower first, if that's okay?"

"Of course, of course. I was hoping for a family breakfast this morning, but your father had to leave earlier then expected." I saw only the slightest glimmer of sadness in her green eyes. Ever since dad started working in the city, we didn't eat as a family much anymore. I understood though, it was a two-hour commute from here to Phoenix, and bills had to be paid. "I'll make your plate dear. Don't forget it's your turn to do dishes."

I can't help rolling my eyes, but I do it with my back turned to her, my hands rummaging through my drawers to find clothes for the day. "And please pick up these clothes Lenina, can you not keep a space clean for more than a few hours?" she huffs, I know she's talking about the clothes I'd taken off and just left where they'd dropped last night.

I don't turn around until her footsteps fade. I can hear the muffled voices of the television downstairs when I cross the hallway to the bathroom. The hot stream of water feels like heaven but I don't linger to long, afraid to prune. By the time I'm seated at the kitchen table, mom's placing a steaming plate of eggs, bacon, and french toast in front of me. My mouth waters as I dig in.

"What are your plans for the day, Lenina?" my mom curiously probes from her end of the table. I watch as she squeezes ketchup onto her eggs, and can't help the disgust that curls on my lips. I'm a firm believer that ketchup didn't belong on eggs, even the color it created was disgusting to look at it.

I shrug, mouth full of bacon and toast. "I dunno. I've gotta call Tammy."

"Is everything all right with you two? She didn't even call once yesterday." Mom was really surprised by this, but I understood why, Tammy had a habit of blowing up the phone.

"Yeah, we're good." I lied through my eggs.

"Lenina Theresa Connors don't you dare speak with your mouth full. That really is disgusting, you know?"

I take my time to respond, swallowing the food in my mouth. "Sorry." I grin at her, and she returns it with a small smile. "Awesome breakfast, ma."

"Thanks hun. Did you put your clothes in the dirty laundry?"

"Yes." I reply, shoving another mouthful of eggs into my mouth. I'm pretty sure my mom knows it irritates me when she does that, and I'm pretty sure that's why she does it. I don't say much else before I'm bringing my emptied plate to the sink. I rinse it off and run the water to start the dishes. There wasn't much to do, just the pans mom had used to cook and the plates we ate from.

"Lenina," I flash my eyes in her direction to let her know I was listening, "Are you going into town today?"

"Probably. Why?" I question as I rinse the last dish off, placing it on the drying rack with the rest of the stuff I'd washed.

My eyes meet hers. "I need you to grab a few things from the grocery store."

A protest is at the tip of my tongue but I know it's pointless. "Sure thing, ma." She explains that we need milk, cooking oil, and garlic powder. I can't quite wrap my head around why she needs _me_ to go when she's got a well oiled pick up truck in the driveway. I really think she just wants to keep me as busy as possible, it would explain why I have to do dishes four days out of the week, while she only has to do it three days.

By the time I find myself walking along the edges of the main road that led into town, it was well past noon. I'd talked to Tammy, who was surprisingly not all that upset anymore. We made plans to hang out when she gets back from bringing Mara home. It really wasn't to long of a trip, since they were only bringing Mara to Sky Harbor, which was an airport in Phoenix. "Hey, 'Nina!"

My brown eyes look up to see Edgar Frog approaching me. He's riding a bike and wearing the usual camouflage ensemble. I don't think it's been washed all summer. "What'cha want, Froggy?" that's when he gets close enough to me that I can see the deep purple shiner circling his left eye.

"Holy shit, Edgar! Who hit you?!"

"Some surf nazi punk." he snorts, eyes flashing in annoyance. What was I supposed to do? _Not_ notice his very obvious black eye? "That's not why I rode all the way down here to find your ass. I saw you leave with that guy last night, on the motorcycle..."

"Okay? So?" I'm curious, but I don't let it show.

"He's a vampire. You need to stay away from him."

He believes every word that leaves his mouth. The sincerity in his eyes scares me, but not nearly as much as my inability to not believe him. "Edgar, maybe you and your brother should stop reading them comics. That one you two forced me to take did nothing to help me sleep." I roll my eyes, resuming my walk to town. He follows me, still riding his bike.

"This is serious shit, 'Nina. He didn't try to bite you, did he?"

"Do you really think I'd be walking out here now if I'd nearly been bit by a psychopath last night?"

"You got a point. You wouldn't have escaped, and would be a minion of darkness right about now."

"_Jesus_, Edgar! David's not a vampire. Nuts, unhinged, and very likely a future serial killer, but _not_ a vampire. Now that I think about it, he's probably part of a cult or something. Always knew there was something off about him."

"That's because he _is_ a vampire." Edgar continues to insist, and I continue to try and make myself not believe him. "Just don't fall in with 'em, 'Nina. I'm telling you, they're dangerous, people disappear when they go with them...you're lucky you didn't."

I catch myself grinding my teeth, my brown eyes rolling. "Is this _seriously_ why you rode all the way down here? To annoy the shit outta me?"

"No. I'm trying to protect you from a monster!" he retorts, clearly falling for my pretend disbelief, "It's what we do."

"Okay Edgar. Whatever." I speed up my steps as a fork in the road appears and _finally_ sidewalk begins to form along the edges of the street. I hop up the curb just as a chugging popping _thing_ drives by. My nose scrunched as I took a breath and caught a cloud of the black smog the contraption had sputtered out of its exhaust.

"Time to get new wheels." Edgar laughs and easily catches up to me on his bike. "Just be careful with them guys, okay?"

"Sure." I nod, resisting the urge to tell him how utterly freaked out they'd had me the night before and that there was no way in hell I'd _ever_ be going anywhere with any of them again. "Mom and pops running the store front?"

A smirk curls Edgar's lips, "What do you think?"

"You left Alan down there by himself? Edgar that's fucked up, even for you."

He rolls his eyes, "He can handle it, I just had to warn you before you got yourself drained tonight."

"Edgar shut up about vampires." I snap, my brown eyes focusing on him, "One more word about them and I promise you, you'll have two black eyes."

"It'll be your funeral." he continues to press, he knows I'd never hit him, "That is if they even find your body."  
"Edgar Frog I fucking _mean_ it._ Stop_."

He sighs, "Alright 'Nina, I trust you to stay safe." I let out my own exasperated sigh as he switches the conversation topic. "Where you heading anyways?"

My fingers are slipping against the folded piece of paper in my pants pocket, pulling it out, "Grocery duty." I wave it around, annoyed that I had to walk all the way to the local supermarket for _three_ things.

"That shit sucks." Edgar agrees, a thoughtful look spreading across his face, "Hey, do you think you can come help out down at the shop tonight? It's a pretty big mess."

"I'm supposed to be hanging out with Tammy tonight, but if she cancels you know it. I'll just have to check in with mom first."

"Okay, cool. See you if I see you, eh?"

"Sure thing, Edgar." I offer him a smile before he speeds off ahead of me.

* * *

**Review if you want more! I didn't get to many reviews last chapter and I'm wondering if it's because you guys don't like where this is going. Let me know so I can improve! Love youuu!**


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